Clutch and clutch-actuating means.



C. F. RIGBY.

CLUTCH AND CLUTCH ACTUATING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I4, i913- v Patentd June 8, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITN ESSES R O T m mz. c

1HE NoRRls PETERS ca., PHOTC-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

C. F. RIGBY.

CLUTCH AND CLUTCH ACTUATING MEANS.

Patented June l8, 1915.

3 SHEETS--SHEET 2'.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I4, IBIS.

I i mvENToR C. 7%

qu o l WITNESSES 42 J? THE NoRRls PETERS co.. PHOTD-LITHO.. wASHlNGIvN. D, c.

C. F. RIGBY.

CLUTCH AND CLUTCH ACTUATING MEANS.

APPUCATION FILED MAY14. 1913.

l 142, 1 20. Patented June 8, 1915.

' FIGJO.

WITNESSES mmm INVENTOH THE NoRRls PETERS C0.. PHUTc-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. L' L CLARK r. menager BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLUTCH AND CLUTCH-ACTUATIG MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 8, 1915.

Application led May 14, 1913. Serial No. 767,606.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CLARK F. RIGBY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Butler, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutches and Clutch- Actuating Means, of which the following is a specification.

The use of wire cable for deep well drilling presents conditions that are not encountered with manila cable, the same being due mainly to the absence of elasticity in the wire. The elasticity of stretch of manila cable prevents sudden Vshock or jar to the actuating mechanism when lifting the tools on their up stroke. But with wire cable there is no compensation, and the Weight of the tools, which frequently .amounts'to several thousand pounds, is suddenly thrown on the constantly running mechanism on each up stroke. Expedients have been proposed heretofore for providing the requisite compensation, among them the mechanism of my Patent No. 798,449, August 29,1905. But the latter has not proven entirely .effective because of the sudden connection `between the relatively movable parts and also because of the rebound in the cushioning mechanism. These difficulties are overcome by the present inventionwhich provides a v combined braking and clutching action which is automatically released during the `down stroke of the tools whenthe moveconnection. Hence, the load is picked upV gradually or with suchV Va compensating action as to avoid injurious shock. The combined brake and clutch mechanism is of double acting form and is set with the same effect whenthe movement of the band wheel latter may rotate at asubstantially uniform speed and hence be driven by an explosive engine. This result has not been possible heretofore in deep drilling operations becausel the enormous weight of the tools and cable has always operated to accelerate the movement of the band wheel on the down stroke and correspondingly lower its speed on the up stroke, thereby causing unavoidable fluctuations in the speed of the motor. This is one reason why steam engines have been almost universally used heretofore for deep drilling as they readily respond to the fluctuations referred to. Tndeed, one of the most noticeable features of a deep drilling operation is the intermittent action of the steam engine which speeds up on each down stroke of the tools and slows down on the up stroke. Sudden variations of this kind are not possible with explosive engines because their speed is relatively constant due to the heavy flywheels with which they are necessarily equipped and which obviouslyV preclude sudden and momentary increase and decrease in speed. Inrthe apparatus of the present invention the relatively fast and slow movements of the crank shaft are taken care Vof in such manner by the mechanism which connects the shaft and band wheel that the speed of lthe latter is substantially unchanging and hence is peculiarly well'adapted to be driven by an explosive engine.

In the accompanying'drawings, Figure l is a side elevation-ofvdrilling apparatus embodying the invention, the parts being shown in position with the beam 'actuating pitman and cran-k on the down stroke as when lifting the tools within the well.. In Fig. 2 the full linefposition of the parts shows them immediately Vafter lcompleting the lifting` stroke and when the shaft has been released from the band wheel by the accelerated down stroke of the tools, and in dotted lines the parts are shown in position to again clutch together the band wheel and crank shaft, the accelerated movement of the crankshaft causing theclutch mechanism movable with it to overtake a clutch actuating stop carried by the band wheel. Fig. 3 shows .the position of the crank at the completion of ment of the band wheel relatively to the crank during the momentary pause in the `movement of the crank. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the band wheel, crank shaft and combined brake andy clutch mechanism. Fig. 5

i the down stroke of the tools andthe moveyeo pivot of shoe 18.

is a section of the lbrake and clutch mechanism, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail on line GQG'of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 isa detail of the crab clutch for permanently connecting the band rWheel and crank shaft. Fig. 8 is a top plan, partly in section, of the apparatus illustrated inFig. 1. Fig. 9 is a detail of one of the adjustable clutch actuating stops carried' by the band wheel, and Fig. 10 is across section on line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

Referring tothe drawings, the paratus is preferablyA mounted on sills 2 from which rise the samson post 3 and jack posts`4, and which also support bed 5 of the explosive engine. Journaled on posts 4 is shaft 7 carrying crank 8 to which is connected pitman 9 for actuating the walking beam 10, the wire drilling cable 11 being connected to the latter by the usual temper screw mechanism. Keyed to shaft 7 is sleeve 12 which carries the brake and clutch operating arm 13, presently to be described. Rotatable on sleeves 12 is band wheel 14, and secured to one side thereof is the annular Vbrake and clutch head l5 having its periphery formed with the. wedge-shaped groove 16.v Head 15 is adapted to be em-V braced by the semi-circular shoes 17 and 18 which atfone side are adj ustably connected together by bolt 19 coninedrinv suitable lugs on the shoes. is such that the shoes are independently movable, and interposed between the shoe extremities is coiled spring 20 ywhich operates to hold the shoes normally expanded, as will presently appear. Carried by the slices are theV oppositely disposed arms 21 which are connected to the clutch operating mechanism. f-

Arm-.13 of the shaft-embracing sleeve 12 is provided with the .opposite bifurcated` arms :22 to which :the shoearms 21 are connected by -pivot bolts 23, the latter .being capable of vlimited independent movement inl Y the enlarged pivot confining openings 24 of arms 21. Fulcrumed between its ends at 25 to the extremity of arm 13 is lever, and connected to pin27 carried by the inner end of this lever are'slotted links 28 and 29, the

former vconnected to pivot 23 'of Vshoe 17 while link 29 is similarly Iconnected to the The operation or the brake clutch is r as follows: Viith lever 26 in central position, kas in Figs. 5 and 6, neither clutch shoe isi under tension and spring 20 holds the shoes separated or in open position.- But Vupon turning vlever 26 on its fulcrum the shoes are'necessarily caused to clutch head 15. If the outer end of lever 26, -F ig. 5, ismoved to the left tensionis exerted on link 28 and shoe 17, `rat such time pin 27 moving in the slot of link 29, and the stressl thus placed on shoe 17 causes pivot 23 of shoe 18 to move entire ap- The connection with the bolty held Vbothclutch shoes are caused to tightly grip head 15. Exactly the same result fol- Vlows the movement of lever 26' in the opposite direction, at such time link 29 and shoe 18 transmitting the clutch setting force. For operating lever 26, the free outer por-A tion thereof is extended between the two oppositely facing cushion stops 30 and 31 adjustably secured to band wheel 14. Each of these stops, shown in detail iny Figs. 9 and 10, is movable in a tubular casing 32, be-

ing held normally projected by spring 33.

A perforated clip v34 atthe .rear end of casing 32 is adjustably fastened to curved bracket 35 secured-to the band wheel, the latter being of channel form and slotted longitudinally at 36 to receive the clamping bolt 37 with nut 38 confined in the channel. Thus by slackening the clamping bolts the stops may be adjusted as Vdesired for determining the independent movement of the clutch and band wheel,.also fordetermining 5,

the relative positions of said parts when operating the clutch. The downstroke of .Y

crank 8, pitman 9, and the rear end of beam 10 operates lto raise the tools in the well after a blow has been struck, the band wheel having been moved to engagestop 30 with lever 26, as in dotted lines in Fig. 3, thereby oscillating the latter and clutch'- ingV the crank shaft to the4 band wheel in theY manner abovedescribed, and this ,relation ,of the 'parts continues until the toolshave been fully raised and crank 8'moved overthebottom center. At this 'juncture the tools begin to lower and the enormous weight, thereof so accelerates the movement .of the crank shaft yas to rotate it morerapidly than the band wheel with the result that' lever 26'is moved out of contact with stop 30, as in full v lines in Fig. 2and the clutchvmechanism as Fig. 5. This accelerated movementof the crank shaft causes lever 26'to approach stop 31, lbut as the latter is ,advancing in the same direction though at slower speedit` is not Vsuines the normal released position shown in overtaken''by theflever until almost the in-V force that is cushioned vby the ensuing clutching action. But this force is absorbed so gradually by the brake-'like clutch, espey cially in view of the fact, that the Vcrank and band wheel are moving in the same direction,that no undue shock results and there is no disturbing accelerated pull exerted on the engine. The checking of the movement iso operation results in the crank shaft coming toan appreciable stop immediately after. passing a top center position, this without rebounding or reaction of any kind, and this pause continues until lever 26 is overtaken by stop 30 on the band wheel whereupon d the gradual or brake-like clutching action is again brought into play and the band wheel gradually takes on the load of the tools, for their upstroke without sudden jerk. or injurious shock.

The gearing between the engine and band wheel should be of such form as to prevent slipping not only vwhen the mechanism is doing its heaviest duty, as when lifting the tools, but also when the parts are clutched together during the completion of the down stroke of the cable after. the tools have struck the bottom. The preferred form of gearing consists of a wire rope belt 40 which is wound twice around band wheel 14, the

' latter formed with two parallel grooves V41 and the belt passing around the slack-adjusting sheave' 42 for directing it from one groove to the other. Sheave 42 is secured to pivoted post 43 provided with the turnbuckle stay or brace 44. .Thetwo strands of the belt embrace sheaves 45 which are loose on crank shaft 46l of the explosive en-v gine 6. Each sheave 45 carries a clutch disk 47, and the latter are adapted-to engage the combined? clutch heads 'and fly-wheels 48 on the engine shaft. The clutch disks and the "sheaves carried thereby-areymoved into clutching position by wedgesf49- connected byV links to a lever 50 which is fulcrumed between its lends tov the engine frame yand which is operated to throw either one clutch or the other by rod 51 connected Vto hand lever 52. The belt is passed from one' sheave 45 to the other sheave of like number around the` slack-adj usting idler 53 supported by the engine frame and movable toward and from the engine crank shaft yby screw 54. The double winding of the driving belt precludesv slipping, and furthermore, enables me to'form the belt of wire cable which is a distinct advantage lin well drilling practice overy iat band belts of usual form. A band wheel for well drilling apparatus of f the type specified is new in the art'and provides for positively communicating the motion of the engine at all times without slipping under momentary and vsudden* variations in the load as well as variations between the speed of the band wheel and crank shaft. And with a wire cable belt geared to anv eX- plosive engine as herein shown, the direction of rotation of the band wheel may be rel versed without interfering with the normal operation of the engine. The band wheel maybe permanently clutched to the crank shaft by a crab 58, Figs. 4 and 7, when a positive drive is required for actuating the bull wheels and other auxiliary mechanisms, not shown, the power for such purposes being transmitted from the band wheel 14 by a supplemental band wheel 59 secured thereto.

I claim Y l.. In well drilling apparatus, the combi nation of a shaft adapted to operate drilling tools, an actuating wheel for the shaft with the shaft and wheel adapted to rotate independently of each other, a clutch for connecting the wheel and shaft, and means actuated by independent movement of 'either the shaft or wheel for setting the clutch.

2. In well drilling apparatus, the combination of a shaft adapted to operatedrilling tools, an actuating wheel for the shaft with the shaft and wheel having limited rotary movement independently of each other,

a clutch for connecting the wheel and shaft, a clutch setting device movable with said shaft, and means carried by the wheel for actuatingthe setting device when either the shaft or the wheel has reached the limit of its independent movement.

3. In welldrilhng apparatus, the combination' of a shaft adapted to operate drilling tools, an actuating wheel for the shaft with Y the shaft and wheel having limited rotary movement independently of each other, a clutch for connecting the wheel and shaft, a clutch setting device -movable with the sha-ft and having independent movement in opposite directions and adapted when moved in either direction to set the clutch, and means carried by the wheel and adapted to independently move the clutch setting device when either the shaft or wheel has reached the limit of its independent movement.

4. In well drilling apparatus, the combination of ashaft adapted to operate drillingl tools, an actuating wheel for the shaft withk the shaft and wheel having limited rotary movement independently of each other, an arm'projecting fromY the shaft, afclutch for connecting the wheel and shaft, aclutchV setting device pivoted to the arm yand operatively connected to the clutch 'for setting the latter when moved in either direction on its pivot, and devices spaced apart on the wheel in the pathof the clutch setting device with one of said devices adapted to engage and Y actuate the clutch setting device when either the shaft or the Vwheel has reached thev limit of'its independent movement.

5. In well drilling apparatus, the combination of a lshaft adapted to actuateV drilling tools, an actuating wheel for the shaft with the shaft and wheel having` limited rotary movement independently of each other, an

ILO4

annular head carried by the wheel, an expansible clutch adapted when set to grip the said head, a support movable with the shaft,

a clutch setting device fulcrumed to the support and operativelyconnected to opposite portions ofthe clutch and adapted to set the latter when moved in either direction on its fulcrum, and devices spaced apart on the wheel in the path of the clutch setting device and adapted to actuate the latter vwhen either'the shaft or the Wheel has reached the limit of its independent movement. Y

6. The combination of a shaft and a shaft actuating wheel each having limited independent rotary movement, a wheel engaging clutch having separated extremities adapted to be contracted for setting the clutchand expanded for opening the same, al-clutch support carried by the shaft with the separated extremities of the clutch connected to' and having limited independent movement relatively to the support, a clutch setting device fulcrumed to the support and pivotally connected to the. clutch extremities, and separated devices movable with vthe wheel in the path of the clutch device with one or the other of the wheel carried devices adapted to oscillate the clutch setting device when either the shaft or they wheel has reached thelimit of its independent movement. v Y.

v7. The combination of a shaft and a shaft actuating wheel eachihaving limited independent-rotary movement, a wheel engaging clutch having separated extremities adapted to be contracted for setting the clutch and moved apart for opening the same, a supand devices carried by the wheel in the path of the clutch setting device with one Vor the other of the wheel-carried devices adapted to actuate the setting device when either the wheel or shaft hasreached the limit of its independent movement.

8. The combinationof a shaft and a shaft actuating wheel having independent 'rotary movement, a support movable with the shaft and formed with two slots separated in the direction of the circumference of the wheel,

a wheel engaging clutch adapted tofcontract when set with pins at the separated extremities of the clutch entered in the support slots, a clutch setting device fulcrumed to the support, links extending from the clutch extremities to said device and having pin and slot connections therewith whereby movement of the clutch setting device in either direction on its fulcrum causes-it to pull on one extremity of the clutch while the other extremity of the latter is held tothe support, and separated devices in the path of and adapted to engage the clutch setting device when either the shaft or the wheel has reached theV limit of its independent movement. y Y 'Y 9. The combination of a shaft and a shaft actuating wheel rotatable independently-of cach other, a support movable with the shaft, a clutch engagedhead'carried by the wheel a band-like clutch having its extremities movably connectedv tothe support with the extremities adapted to move toward each other and with the support restricting movementv of the clutch parts away from each other, a clutchV setting device fulcrumedto the'support, .connections between the extremities of the clutch and the setting device whereby the latter Lmay be caused to draw upon either clutch extremity, and` separated devices carriedby the wheel in the path of the clutch-settingdevice and adapted vto engage and oscillate the latter for setting the clutch when either` the Vshaft or the wheel reaches the limit of its independent movement. Y

10. rIhe combination ofa shaft andray shaft-actuating wheel rotatable independently of eachother, a clutch rotatable'with the shaft for uniting the shaft and wheel, a clutch actuator ,movable with the clutch, stop .devices on'the wheel at opposite sides of the actuator andV in the path Vthereof and adaptedto engage the latter for operating the clutch, and means-for adjustingithe stop devices toward and `from eachother.

`1 1. The combination of Vayshaftand a3'- shaft actuating wheel rotatable independently of .each other, a clutch-rotatable with the shaft lfor uniting the shaft tand wheel, a clutch actuator movable with the clutch,

stop devices on the wheel at opposite sides of' and in the path of the actuator and adapted to be engaged by the latter for operating the clutch, each stop device consisting ,Y of Aa socket, a plunger-like headgproje'cting from the socket, and a springwithin the socket and opposing inward movement of the heard.

l2. The combination of a shaft and a shaft 'actuating wheel. rotatable independently of eachother, a clutch rotatable with the shaft for uniting the shaft and wheel, a clutch actuator movable with the clutch, slottedsupports on thewheel at opposite sides of the-actuator, and reversely arranged stop devices adjustable on the supports and adapted to be engaged by the actuator for operating the clutch. Y* v 13. The combination of a shaft and a shaftactuating wheel, a clutch head rotatable with Ithe wheel, a clutch carrier movable with the shaft, a head'` engaging clutch of band formfhaving separated .free extremities movably secured to the carrier, the clutch formed in two pivotally connected parts, a spring operating to hold the twopart clutch normally open, lever mechanism for contracting the clutch parts into engagementwith the clutch head, and means carred by.v the wheel for operating the levermechanism.

14. The combination of a shaft and a shaft actuating wheel, a clutch head rotatable with the wheel, a clutch carrier movable with the shaft, a head engaging clutch having separated extremities movably secured to the carrier, the clutch formed in two parts, means pivotally and adjustably connecting the parts, a spring for opposing contraction of said parts into clutching position, mechanism cperativelyconnected to the clutch parts for contracting the same into engagement with said head, and means carried by the wheel for 'operating said mechanism.

15. In well drilling apparatus, the combination of a shaft for operating drilling tools, a constant speed driving wheel for the shaft, and means actuated by independent relative movement of the said shaft or of said wheel for causing said shaft and wheel to move in unison.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARK F. RIGBY.

Witnesses:

J. M. NnsBiT, ELLA M. CONNELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

